Flower Essences
Botanical Intelligence At Your Service
by Dr. Lauren Nappen
"…so long as our Souls and personalities are in harmony, all is joy and peace, happiness and health."
Dr. Edward Bach
Take a deep breath. Allow yourself to become intoxicated by the wonders of the universe. In this space of quiet consider a healing art that uplifts and inspires. Ponder a self-healing tool, pulsating with vitality that is non-toxic, has no side effects and is safe for every age group. Allow yourself to be bewildered by something so selfless and magical that it enables you to distinguish the subtle difference between identifying your weaknesses and identifying
with them. Play with the idea that it is no longer necessary to mask or suppress; you merely need to merge and be. "If it could only be that easy," you murmur as you open your eyes. It is. Let me introduce you to the world of Flower Essences, liquid infusions of botanical intelligence that are the medicine of the future, only they are here now.
It is said that in the 16th century the Swiss physician Paracelsus used dewdrops resting upon blossoms for treating his patients. Today we can attribute the birth of this healing art form to Dr. Edward Bach, who also partook of the dew from flowers for self-healing. A successful MD, homeopath, and bacteriologist, he left his practice to find a more effective means of treatment for the myriad of ills his patients suffered from. Convinced that there was an emotional component lurking beneath the surface he began his collaboration with nature in a more intimate way. The result was the creation of the Bach Flower Repertoire, composed of 38 essences and the popular composite for situational stress, Rescue Remedy®.
Today there are over 60 essence producers and thousands of essences produced (flower, gem and environmental,) their acclaim extending worldwide. They are quite different from other floral counterparts such as herbs and essential oils, which in part work through a chemical model of healing and have restrictions with their use. With flower essences you have the signature, or vibration, of the plant, and no restrictions. Kirlian photographic analysis can demonstrate the unique energetic patterns from a single drop of an individual essence (Mastering Bach, Methchild Scheffer, 1996, Healing Arts Press.) This departure from a chemical platform clearly categorizes them as energy medicine, making them applicable to all situations. Because of this they can safely walk someone through an entire life, from birth to departure.
The positive virtues of the flowers harmonize and raise the vibrations of our inner world (much the same way our favorite music does) so we can walk away from habits and choices that have imprisoned us. We can address addictive patterns, release the grip of past traumas, create healthy emotional boundaries, and negotiate life transitions in any arena. Their relational nature partners well with soul development, as well as other healing arts including traditional medical solutions. They seamlessly integrate and strengthen the positive qualities of our characters and remind us of our inner brilliance.
In any given lifetime each of us is exposed to events, situations and relationships that shape our developing and unfolding characters and personalities. There are moments when we encounter degrees of paralysis that can stupefy even the most flexible of spirits. There are times when the person we have become prevents us from seeing and knowing the person longing to be seen. And there are times when this race called ‘life’ leaves us quaking in the dust, surrounded by familiar feelings of overwhelm, discouragement, worry, impatience and, more than an occasional, sleepless night.
Flower Essences can address a multitude of situations with success and ease and with great specificity. These gentle healers can clear the blocks – whether it’s fear of intimacy (mimulus,) loss of confidence (larch,) impatience with children (impatiens,) or frustration with a schedule that has you running in 4 different directions and you only have two legs (elm)! As the door to empowerment opens, we also have the chance to greet the patterns of personality that enhanced and/or diminished our dreams and desires. It’s a win-win on every level.
Those who are of a more mechanistic nature will be perplexed and baffled by the success of these gentle healers because as of yet we do not have a tool to measure how and why they work. Studies have been done to prove their efficacy in patient care, highlighting 40-50% drops in depressive symptoms after 3 months of consistent use. (Dr. Jeffrey Cram, Ph.D Two Double Blind Scientific Studies of Flower Essences and Stress, Subtle Energies 11:1, 1-22, 2000.) We just know they do. The simplicity of how they are made also contributes to the hesitancy of many a doubting Thomas (the required ingredients are flowers, water and sunshine.) However, this in no way diminishes their success in transforming places of challenge that threaten and confine our successful expression in life. Consider the power of a smile: simple, unexpected, healing. As Dr. Mehmet Oz concedes, "…not everything that’s measured is important and not everything that’s important can be measured." He’s convinced that Rescue Remedy® is a supportive tool for everyday situational stress and so uses it with his children and himself.
What’s next? There are two ways to begin working with the essences: self-study or a consultation with a trained flower essence therapist. Depending upon your needs, either way will work. Just remember, the application of flower essences in day-to-day living is endless. Smiling becomes your new habit as emotions balance, depression and negativity lift, attitudes change and those feelings of being stuck begin to dissolve. Teaming with botanical intelligence and spiritual guidance the essences help us realize and actualize the truth of who we already are. We are love. We are joy. We are creation.
Dr. Lauren Nappen has used flower essences both personally and professionally for 25 years. She is a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner and an approved teacher for the Bach International Education Program. She maintains an integrative healing practice (chiropractic, medicinal aroma-therapy, spiritual counsel, and various energy medicine modalities) and sanctuary in Bucks County, PA.
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ake a deep breath. Allow yourself to become intoxicated by the wonders of the universe. In this space of quiet consider a healing art that uplifts and inspires. Ponder a self-healing tool, pulsating with vitality that is non-toxic, has no side effects and is safe for every age group. Allow yourself to be bewildered by something so selfless and magical that it enables you to distinguish the subtle difference between identifying your weaknesses and identifying with them. Play with the idea that it is no longer necessary to mask or suppress; you merely need to merge and be. "If it could only be that easy," you murmur as you open your eyes. It is. Let me introduce you to the world of Flower Essences, liquid infusions of botanical intelligence that are the medicine of the future, only they are here now.
It is said that in the 16th century the Swiss physician Paracelsus used dewdrops resting upon blossoms for treating his patients. Today we can attribute the birth of this healing art form to Dr. Edward Bach, who also partook of the dew from flowers for self-healing. A successful MD, homeopath, and bacteriologist, he left his practice to find a more effective means of treatment for the myriad of ills his patients suffered from. Convinced that there was an emotional component lurking beneath the surface he began his collaboration with nature in a more intimate way. The result was the creation of the Bach Flower Repertoire, composed of 38 essences and the popular composite for situational stress, Rescue Remedy®.
Today there are over 60 essence producers and thousands of essences produced (flower, gem and environmental,) their acclaim extending worldwide. They are quite different from other floral counterparts such as herbs and essential oils, which in part work through a chemical model of healing and have restrictions with their use. With flower essences you have the signature, or vibration, of the plant, and no restrictions. Kirlian photographic analysis can demonstrate the unique energetic patterns from a single drop of an individual essence (Mastering Bach, Methchild Scheffer, 1996, Healing Arts Press.) This departure from a chemical platform clearly categorizes them as energy medicine, making them applicable to all situations. Because of this they can safely walk someone through an entire life, from birth to departure.
The positive virtues of the flowers harmonize and raise the vibrations of our inner world (much the same way our favorite music does) so we can walk away from habits and choices that have imprisoned us. We can address addictive patterns, release the grip of past traumas, create healthy emotional boundaries, and negotiate life transitions in any arena. Their relational nature partners well with soul development, as well as other healing arts including traditional medical solutions. They seamlessly integrate and strengthen the positive qualities of our characters and remind us of our inner brilliance.
In any given lifetime each of us is exposed to events, situations and relationships that shape our developing and unfolding characters and personalities. There are moments when we encounter degrees of paralysis that can stupefy even the most flexible of spirits. There are times when the person we have become prevents us from seeing and knowing the person longing to be seen. And there are times when this race called ‘life’ leaves us quaking in the dust, surrounded by familiar feelings of overwhelm, discouragement, worry, impatience and, more than an occasional, sleepless night.
Flower Essences can address a multitude of situations with success and ease and with great specificity. These gentle healers can clear the blocks – whether it’s fear of intimacy (mimulus,) loss of confidence (larch,) impatience with children (impatiens,) or frustration with a schedule that has you running in 4 different directions and you only have two legs (elm)! As the door to empowerment opens, we also have the chance to greet the patterns of personality that enhanced and/or diminished our dreams and desires. It’s a win-win on every level.
Those who are of a more mechanistic nature will be perplexed and baffled by the success of these gentle healers because as of yet we do not have a tool to measure how and why they work. Studies have been done to prove their efficacy in patient care, highlighting 40-50% drops in depressive symptoms after 3 months of consistent use. (Dr. Jeffrey Cram, Ph.D Two Double Blind Scientific Studies of Flower Essences and Stress, Subtle Energies 11:1, 1-22, 2000.) We just know they do. The simplicity of how they are made also contributes to the hesitancy of many a doubting Thomas (the required ingredients are flowers, water and sunshine.) However, this in no way diminishes their success in transforming places of challenge that threaten and confine our successful expression in life. Consider the power of a smile: simple, unexpected, healing. As Dr. Mehmet Oz concedes, "…not everything that’s measured is important and not everything that’s important can be measured." He’s convinced that Rescue Remedy® is a supportive tool for everyday situational stress and so uses it with his children and himself.
What’s next? There are two ways to begin working with the essences: self-study or a consultation with a trained flower essence therapist. Depending upon your needs, either way will work. Just remember, the application of flower essences in day-to-day living is endless. Smiling becomes your new habit as emotions balance, depression and negativity lift, attitudes change and those feelings of being stuck begin to dissolve. Teaming with botanical intelligence and spiritual guidance the essences help us realize and actualize the truth of who we already are. We are love. We are joy. We are creation.
Dr. Lauren Nappen has used flower essences both personally and professionally for 25 years. She is a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner and an approved teacher for the Bach International Education Program. She maintains an integrative healing practice (chiropractic, medicinal aroma-therapy, spiritual counsel, and various energy medicine modalities) and sanctuary in Bucks County, PA.
www.ahhhjustingtolife.com
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